There or It

Grammar / A1 Grammar lessons and exercises /There or It

✏️ Exercises

There or It: When to Use Each

Grammar chart distinguishing the use of 'There' and 'It' in English sentences

✅ We use THERE to...

  • Say when or where something is:
    There is a party tomorrow.
    There are some dirty cups on the table.
  • Say that something exists or is happening:
    There was an accident.
    There is a problem.
  • Introduce something for the first time. When we mention it again, we use it or they:
    There are some cups on the table. → They are dirty.
    There was an accident. → It was horrible.

✅ We use IT to...

  • Talk about something again in the conversation:
    There is a party tomorrow. → It will be fantastic!
    We saw a snake. → It was very big.
  • Talk about time or dates:
    It’s four o’clock.
    It’s my mum’s birthday today.
    Let’s go home. It’s very late.
  • Talk about the weather:
    It’s very windy.
    It rained a lot yesterday.
    It’s a nice day.
  • Talk about distance:
    How far is it? → It’s 2 kilometres.
    It’s a long way to the station.
  • Use with “it’s + adjective + to-infinitive”:
    It’s nice to see you again.
    It was difficult to find the hotel.

❗ Common Mistakes

wrong

I think the worst part of the exam it’s speaking. ❌

→ Don’t use “it” when the subject is already in the sentence.

correct

I think the worst part of the exam is speaking. ✅

wrong

I love their music. Is fantastic!! ❌

→ Don’t forget to use “it” when referring back to something.

correct

I love their music. It’s fantastic! ✅